Relay device



March 26, 194 L; B'ET; 2,194,634

RELAY DEVICE Fi ed'uaich ze. 193a Patented Mar. 26, 1949 sar RELAYDEVICE Paul L. Betz, Baltimore, Midgassignor to Consolidated GasElectric pany of Baltimore, Ba

tion of Maryland Light and Power Comltimore, Mid, a corpora- ApplicationMarch 29, 1938, Serial No. 198,751

8 Glaims.

This invention relates to relay devices and more particularly to relaydevices suitable for use in controlling the operation of a gas burner,although the invention is not restricted to this application.

Devices of this type are described in my prior United States Patent No.2,087,216 dated July 13, 1937, and in my 38,656 filed August vices anenergized whenever the relay is energized and is connected with therelay in such a manner that the relay will not be energizedv to turn onthe gas unless current flows through the ignition device. These priordevices give very satisfactory results in many cases, but in the controlof certain gas burners, the operating life of such a continuouslyenergized ignition device may be too short.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel relay deviceof the type characterized above wherein the circuit arrangement of therelay is such that the ignition device is energized only during a periodnecessary to ignite the gas burner and is' thereafter deenergized untilthe system has been shut down and the relay is called upon to operateagain.

While the invention is structionand arrangement of the type disclosed.

ignited while preserving the safety features of said prior devices.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic drawing of a relay circuit embodying theinvention. 55 The devices disclosed in my aforesaid patent andapplication embody a relay armature which, when the relay isdeenergized, occupies a position such that it cannot be actuated by themain relay coil, so that supplementary 'means such as a bimetallic stripor a supplementary relay coil is needed to prior application Serial No.

initiate the-operation of the relay. By suitably delaying the operationof these supplementary means, a time interval is provided during whichthe electric ignition device may be heatedto ignition temperature beforethe relay operates to turn on the gas.

For purposes of illustration the invention is described hereinafter withreference to a relay device of this type embodying a supplementary relaycoil, but it will be understood that the inm vention is not restrictedto this particular type of device as any other suitable construction maybe employed.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the structure of the relay is similar to thatdescribed in my prior Patent No. 2,087,216 and comprises a frameconsisting of spaced side plates i between the ends of which are securedupright supports 2 of any Intermediate their ends the s1de plates I areconnected by upper and lower 20 plates 3 which provide a means forsupporting a tube 4. A solenoid armature 5 is slidable within the tube5, said armature being suitably secured to an operating rod 6 as bymeans of a set screw. .The movement of the armature and rod is limitedin any suitable manner as by the nuts 1 adapted to engage the lower andupper ends of the tube 4.

As stated above the relay device shown herein embodies two solenoidcoils both of which must be energized to cause the initial movement ofthe 39 armature 5 from the position shown in Fig. l, the main coilbeing, however, suflicient to retain the armature in operative position.The main relay coil is shown at 8, being wound on the tube ii andenergized by leads 9 and it, and the supplementary relay coil is shownat H, this coil being also wound on the tube 5 and energized by leads l2and I3.

The support 2 at one end of the relay carries 0 two pairs of contacts.One pair of contacts, comprising the contact arms and i5 and thecooperating contacts 16, are closed when the relay is deenergized asshown in Fig. 1. The other pair of contacts, comprising the arms ll andI8 carrying contacts l9, are open when the relay is deenergized. To thisend the arm l8 may be arranged to depress the arm 14 by means of theblock 26 to maintain the contacts I6 normally in engagement and thecontacts l9 normally open. When the relay is operated, the nut I on theupper end of the operating rod 6 engages the forked end H of the arm I8and lifts said arm to bring contacts l9 into engagement, whereuponcontact arm ll rises preferably because of its resilience and 55separates the contacts 16.

At the other end of the relay a third pair of contact arms 22 and 23 areprovided with cooperating contacts 24 which are normally open.

These contacts are arranged to be closed after a if predeterminedinterval following the energize-tion ignition temperitul'e so thst whenthe relay is of the relay and to this end the arm 22 may comturned on.the ignition device is in operative conprise a bimetallic stripsurrounded by a heating dition to ignite the gas.

coil 25. The circuit arrangement also embodies provi- 5 The circuitarrangement of the relay is more sion for deen rgizlnz ignition device33 alter it 5 clearly shown in Fig. 2. The relay is connected hasaccomplished its function of igniting the gas to the circuit at theterminals 23- and 21. The as above described. As will be seen, thecircuit wire 9 leads from terminal 26 to the main relay of the ignitiondevice is completed by two percoil 8 and the wire Ii leads from theother end allel paths, one .by way of the contacts I4 and the l of thecoil a by way or a wire 28 to the terminal heating coil as, and theother by way of. the supn 21, whereby the coil 8 is connected acrosstermia plementary coil II and the contacts 24. The opnals 23 and 21 andis energized whenever current eration of the relay as described aboveopens the is supplied to the relay. The supplementary recontacts II, butthe ignition device is not imlay coil H is connected across theterminals 26 mediately deenergized because its circuit is comand 21 by acircuit which includes the normally pleted through the supplementarycoil II and 15 open contacts 24 to provide the delayed operacontacts 24,this circuit providing a shunt around tion of the relay as describedabove, and which the open contacts I. These contacts 24 remain circuitalso includes an electric ignition device closed until the heating coil23 cools off to the to prevent operation of the relay unless currentpoint where contacts 24 are separated whereflows through the ignitiondevice as explained uponthe ignition device 33 and the supplemenabove.To this end one of the contacts 24 is contary coil II are bothdeenergized. The period nected to the wire 9 by a wire 29, the othercondurins which the ignition device remains enertact 24 being connectedto one end of the coil H gized alter the relay operates thus depends onby the wire I2. The wire l3 leads from the other the thermal capacity ofthe heating elements and 25 end of the coil II to a wire connected toone maybecontrolled in the design of these elements. 25 of a pair ofrelay terminals 3| and 32 across which N an i t p on i th am ure is isconnected the ignition device 33, the other tercaused by theseoperations because the main coil minal 32 being connected by a wire 34with the 8 as stated above is suflcient to maintain the wire 23 leadingto the relay terminal 21. Hence armature in its upper position, and saidcoil 3 30 it will be observed that the supplementary coll II is not flctc by conta t l5 4- T rel cannot be energized to initiate the operationof therefore remains in this condition until deenthe relay unless itsenergizing circuit is completersized whereup the ar retur t its edthrough the ignition device 33 and until the 1 po tio Opening thecontacts I! and closeontacts 24 are closed by the heating coil 25 as mgthe contacts T r 8 1 H W a 10 35 above described. This arrangementprovides the another per o safety features described in connection withthe It w b Seen that the pr invention 9 prior devices referred to abovein that the relay Vida the fl h 0f the e tu will not operate to turn onthe gas unless the igni- 1 my P1101 devices with provision for deenersltion device 33 is in operative condition and furs h ign ti n d cc afterthe relay hi be 4 therrnore will not operate until after a predep r Thifefltlll is of advantage in the do termined interval during which the inition dentr l of gas burn where otherwise the 9-- vice 33 may reachignition temperature. weratins liie of the ignition device, if c ntinu-The circuit of the heating coil 25 is also com- 1 5 rg would b S r e -Nt pleted through the ignition device 33, in order frequent s cin anrepla ement 0! the ener- 46 that said device may be energized duringsaid si ce i order to maintain the system i predetermined interval andmay reach ignition Operative conditiontemperature before the relayoperates. For this While n y one embodiment of the invention purpose oneend of the coil 25 is connected to has been described and illustrotedlnthe -v the wire 9 by means of a wire 35 and the other 8 it 18 to hexpressly understood that the 50 end is connected to one of the t t 5invention is not limited to this embodiment, nor I0 wire at. The othercontact is is connected t to any part cu ar me ha c tr i n. as wire toby means of wire 31 thereby completing a u c se ay b ad i the rm.details the circuit of the coil 25 by means of wire to, v n r t darrangement of t pa ignition device 33 and wires 34 and 28. withoutdepart s o t e sp of t ln n- 56 Th operation of th relay will be und rtood tion. Reference is therefore to be had to the 65 from the foregoingdescription and may be sumpp n ed c aim for a definition the limit!marized briefly. as follows-When current is supof the invention. pliedto the relay, the main coil 3 is energized What is claimed is: throughthe circuit across the relay terminals 24 1. A relay for controlling theoperation of a 60 and 21 as described above. The relay is not opbumerprovided with an electric ignition device, erated, however, inasmuch asthe position of the said relay comprising relay contacts, an armaturearmature 5 is such that the magnetic field of the for operating saidcontacts, an electromagnet, coil 8 is insufficient to lift the armature.Hence said armature occupying a position when the it is necessary toenergize the supplementary coil relay is deenergized wherein it cannotbe actuated ll so that its magnetic field may assist the magby saidelectromagnet, means for supplementing netic field ofthe coil 8 toinitiate the operation the action of said electromagnet to cause initialof the relay. The heating coil 25 is energized, movement of saidarmature into the range of provided that its circuit is completedthrough the actuation by said electromagnet, said means inignitiondevice 33, and after a. predetermined includlng a. control device havingtime-delayed opterval closes the contacts 24. This completes theeration, a relay circuit for energizing said concircuit of thesupplementary coil ll so that the trol device including a circuitbreaking device oprelay is now operated to close the main relay eratedby said armature and a pair of terminals contacts l3. During theinterval required for between which said ignition device may be conthecoil 25 to reach the necessary operating ternnected to complete saidcircuit, the circuit of said 1| perature, the ignition device 33 hasalso reached ignition device also being completed by a path in parallelwith said circuit breaking device and said path including contactsoperated by said control device.

2. A relay for controlling the operation of a burner provided with anelectric ignition device, said relay comprising relay contacts,- anelectromagnet ha ing a movable armature for closing said contacts, saidarmature occupying a position when the relay is deenergized wherein itcannot be actuated by said electromagnet, supplementary means forcausing initial movement of said armature into the range of actuation bysaid electromagnet, a relay circuit for said supplementary meansincluding a pair of contacts and a pair of terminals between which saidignition device may be connected to complete said' circuit, means havingtime-delayed operation for closing said contacts after the relay hasbeen energized to cause operation of the relay and for opening saidcontacts after the relay has operated, and an energizing circuit forsaid lastnamed means in parallel with said pair of contacts and inseries with saidpair of terminals and said ignition device.

3. A relay for controlling the operation of a burner provided with anelectric ignition device, said relay comprising relay contacts, anelectromagnet having an armature for closing said contacts, saidarmature occupying a position when they relay is deenergized in which itcannot be actuated by the field of said electromagnet, means operativein response 'to temperature changes to cause initial movement of saidarmature into the range of actuation by said electromagnet, an electricheating element for said means, a relay circuit for said heating elementcomprising a pair of contacts adapted to be opened by movement of saidarmature, a relay circuit including a pair of contacts closed on heatingsaid element and opened when said element cools off, and a pair ofterminals between which said ignition device may be connected, saidcircuits being in parallel with each other and in series with said pairof terminals and said ignition device.

4. A relay for controlling the operation of a burner provided with anelectric ignition device, a

said relay comprising relay contacts,'an armature for operating saidcontacts, an electromagnet, said armature occupying a position when therelay is deenergized wherein it cannot be actuated by saidelectromagnet, supplementary means to cause initial movement of saidarmature into the range of actuation thereof by said electromagnet, acircuit for said supplementary means including a pair of terminalsbetween which said ignition device may be connected and a pair ofcontacts, temperature responsive means for closing said last namedcontacts after the relay has been energized and for opening said lastnamed contacts after the relay has been operated, and a heating circuitfor said temperature responsive means in parallel with said pair ofcontacts and in series with said pair of terminals and said ignitionvdevice, said heating circuit comprising contacts opened by said armatureon actuation thereof. a

5. A relay for controlling the operation of a burner provided with anelectric ignition device, said relay comprising a pair of contacts, anarmature for operating said contacts, an electromagnet, said armatureoccupying a position when the relay is deenergized wherein it cannot beactuated by said electromagnet, supplementary means to causeinitial-movement of said armature into the range of actuation thereof bysaid electromagnet, a circuit for said supplementary means including apair of terminals between which said ignition device may be connectedand a pair of contacts, an electrically heated temperature responsivemeans in series with said pair of terminals and said ignition device forclosing said last named contacts after the relay is energized, thecircuit of said heating meansincluding a circuit breaking means operatedby said relay to deenergize said heating means whereby said last namedcontacts open when the heating means cools ofi and said ignition deviceis thereby deenergized.

6. A relay for controlling the operation of a burner provided with anelectric ignition device said relay comprising main relay contacts, a

main relay coil, an armature, a supplementary relay coil for causinginitial movement of the armature when the relay is energized, a circuitfor said supplementary coil including a pair of normally open contactsand a pair of relay terminals between which said ignition device may beconnected to complete said circuit, temperature responsive means havinga heating circuit in parallel with said first circuit and in series withsaid pair of terminals and said ignition device whereby said means isheated on energization of said relay to close said pair of contacts,said second circuit including a circuit breaking means operated by saidrelay to deenergize said temperature responsive means whereby saidtemperature responsive means cools off and said last named pair ofcontacts are opened to deenergize said ignition device.

7. A relay for controlling the operation of a burner provided with anelectric ignition device, said relay comprising a pair of terminals, amain relay circuit including a relay coil and connected across saidterminals, a second relay circuit connected across said terminals andincluding in series a second pair of terminals between which saidignition device may be connected, said second circuit having twoparallel branches, one of said branches comprising a supplementary relaycoil for causing initial operation of the relay and a pair of normallyopen contacts, and the other branch comprising temperature responsivemeans for operating said normally open pair of contacts and a secondpair-of normally closed contacts opened by final operation of saidrelay.

8. Apparatus for controlling and igniting a gas burner comprising incombination a relay having an armature, and relay contacts operatedthereby, a relay coil, an electric ignition device for said burner, arelay circuit for energizing said device having parallel branches one ofwhich is normally closed and the other normally open, a supplementaryrelay coil in'said normally open branch for causing initial movement ofsaid armature, temperature responsive means heated by said normallyclosed branch for making and breaking the circuit through said normallyopen branch, and means operated by said armature for breaking thecircuit through said normally closed branch when said armature moves toits attracted position.

PAUL L. BE'IZ.

